Cartridge for pneumatic transmission-tubes.



PATBNTED JUNE 2 F. H. WOLEVBR. CARTRIDGE FOR PNEUMATIC TRANSMISSION TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 21,1907.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN H. WOLEVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ILLINOIS PNEUMATIC TRANSMISSION 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

CARTRID GE FOR PNEUMATIC TRANSMISSION -TUBE S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

Application filed September 21, 1907. Serial No. 393,906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN H. WoLE- VER, a citizen of the United States and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridges for Pneumatic Transmission-Tubes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic despatch tube carriers or cartridges of the kind intended for use in a pneumatic despatch tube system wherein means are provided for guiding the cartridge in its traverse through a trunk despatch tube from a central or cashier station throu 11 any one of a plurality of branch tubes to sa es stations such for instance as is shown in the prior atent to Max Stange, No. 743,109, dated l lovember 3rd, 1903.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved guiding connection between the cartridge and tube and to improve the .construction of the cartridge itself.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter more particularly set forth and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings :Figure l is a view in side elevation of a pneumatic despatch tube cartridge embodying the novel features of my invention. Fig. 2 is an axial section of said cartridge. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectionon the same plane asFig. 3 showing the parts in changed relation. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation of the inner tubular, telescoping member of the cartridge removed from the outer member. Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a section on line 99 of Fig. 5.

As shown in said drawings, the cartridge consists of two principal members, an outer tubular member 11 and an inner tubular member 12 which telescopes into the outer member. The outer tubular member 11 is open at one end and is closed at its other end by an integral end wall 13 to which is attached by means of a bolt 14 the usual resilient packing head 15, and the inner tubu- Y15 and 20.

lar member is provided at one end with a similar integral end wall to which is attached by like means'a packing head 20. The inner member is closed at its opposite end by means of a flanged disk or head 21 which is fitted within and secured to said member a distance inside of the end of said member in any suitable manner. A portion of the cylindric wall of said inner member 12 is removed or cut away, as indicated in Fig. 6, so that by partially withdrawing the inner tubular member from the outer tubular member, access may be had to the interior thereof through its open side. The portions of the inner tubular member remaining after a portion of the cylindric wall has been so cut away comprises two annular end portions 25 and 26, respectively, and a semi-cylindric portion 27 connecting the same.

Referring now to the means for directing the cartridge to its destination by its guiding engagement with one of the longitudinally disposed guide grooves of the despatch tube, 30 designates a radially outwardly directed and longitudinally extending wing or fin which is hinged to the outer tubular member 11 upon an axis parallel with the axis of the cartridge in such manner that said wing may be arranged to project radially outward when it is desired that it shall engage with one of the guide grooves of the despatch tube, or may be swung inwardly against the cylindric wall of the tube to occupy a position wholly within the peripheral line of the two circular packing heads hen the ring or fin is in this position the cartridge maybe used in a plain or ungrooved despatch tube. As

erein shown said wing is provided at its opposite ends with oppositely extending trunnions 33, 33, which engage with bearing lugs 35, 35 attached to the exterior cylindric surface of the outer tubular member 11. At its end margins said ring is thickened on opposite sides to form protuberances 36, 36 which occupy the enlarged parts of the grooves during the traverse of the cartridge through the tube and prevent lateral disengagement of the wing from the grooved parts of the tube at places where the despatch tube is larger in diameter than the cartridge. The grooves are made only wide enough at their mouths-to receive the thinner part of the wing and.

are enlarged radially outside the cylindric portion of the tube, as shown in the aforesaid patent to Stange, and said knobs 36 serve to sustain the cartridge in the tube in enlarged portions of the latter, as where a branch tube intersects the trunk tube. Said wing 30 is also provided at its rear end with an integral rib 37 so shaped that when saidwing is swung outwardly for engagement with one of the guide grooves of the tube, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or is swung downwardly against the cartridge for use in a plain tube, such rib will extend through openings 37 in the outer tubular member or shell 11 inwardly beyond the inner surface thereof for engagement with the end margins of the annular portions 25 of the inner member 12 thereby locking the members together at times when the cartridge is traversing the tube. For this purpose the rib 37 is shown as widened radially from the trunnions 33 and laterally from one side thereof, as most clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 7. When said wing is swung into a position opposite from that shown in Fig. 4 the rib 37 is free from the inner shell or member, thus permitting the latter to be withdrawn from the outer member. Said rib 37 is provided on its rear face with two laterally projecting teeth or detents 40 which are designed for separate engagement with a notch 41 in the adjacent marginal portion of the annular part 25 of the tube v 11 and thus yieldingly hold said wing 30 in either of the two positions in which the rib 37 locks the members of the shell together. The interlocking of the parts in this manner prevents the wing from accidentally swinging out of position. There is suflicient resiliency of the parts to permit the teeth or detents being yieldingly disengaged from the notches when the wing is swung from one position to another.

45 designates a coiled volute spring which is attached to the inner side of the head 13 of the outer member 11 and bears against the adjacent head of the inner tubular member. Said spring is placed under compression when the members are telescoped together and the stored up energy thereof serves to force the inner member outwardly when the locking means described are released. Thus when the cartridge is to be opened it is only necessary to swing the Wing the rib 37 from the inner member, whereupon the spring 45 projects the inner member or shell outwardly to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Means are provided as follows for preventing the two tubular members of the cartridge from being entirely disengaged when such en gagement is intended.

50, 50 desi nate two ins or studs which extend radia 1y inward y through circular to the proper position to disengage openings in the tubular member 11 and are attached at their outer ends to the forward ends of fiat or leaf s ring arms 51 exterior to the member 12 anc fixed at their rear ends by means of screws or otherwise to the outer cylindric surface of the member or shell 11.

Said studs 50 are of such length as to engage with curved recesses 52 in the rear annular end portion of the shell or member 12 and prevent the same from being entirely withdrawn from the tube 11. Similar curved recesses 53 are formed in the rear margins of the opposite annular end portion of said inner member 12 which are adapted for engagement by said pins when the cartridge is closed. By forcing said pins 50 outwardly they may be disengaged from the inner tubular member 12 to ermit the latter to be entirely withdrawn om the tube 11. The interlocking engagement of said pins as described with the inner and outer members of the cartridge serves to hold said members from relative rotation both when the cartridge is opened and closed.

The elongation of the wing 30 gives stability to the cartridge when traveling in the tube, which is not present in the use of one or more separate lugs. Thus the cartridge is less likely to become twisted or jammed in the despatch tube during transit.

I claim as my invention 1. A neumatic despatch tube cartridge provide with a swinging guide member comrising an elongated rectangular late, the onger axis of which is parallel wit the axis of the cartridge, and hinged at its inner corners to the wall of the cartridge to swing towards and from the side of the cartridge.

2. A pneumatic despatch tube cartridge provided with a swinging guide member comrising an elongated rectangular plate, the onger axis of which is parallel wit the axis of the cartridge, and hinged at its inner corners to the wall of the cartridge to swing towards and from the side of the cartridge, said guide member being provided at its outer or free corners with enlargements or knobs.

3. A pneumatic despatch tube cartridge com rising two telescopic members one of whic is provided Witi a movable guide member adapted for engagement with a guide groove of a despatch tube, and means controlled by movement of said guide member for locking the telescopic members together.

4. A pneumatic despatch tube cartridge comprising two telescopic members one of which is provided with a swinging uide member which is ada ted to project Taterally therefrom and to e swung inwardly towards the side of the same and means controlled by the movement of said swinging member for locking said telescopic members together.

5. A pneumatic despatch tube cartridge comprising two telescopic members, the outer one of which is provided with a swinging uide member which is adapted to project laterally therefrom and to be swung inwardly towards the side of the same, and a rib swinging with said guide member extending through an opening in the outer member and designed for locking engagement with the inner member.

6. A pneumatic despatch tube cartridge comprising two telescopic members, the outer one of which is provided with a swinging uide member which is adapted to proj ect aterally therefrom and to be swung inwardly towards the side of the same, and a rib swinging with said guide member extending through an opening in the outer member and designed for locking engagement with the inner member, said ribs being shaped for locking engagement with said inner memher when the guide is projected from the cartridge and when it is swung towards the cartridge in one direction, and to release said inner member when the guide is swung to wards the cartridge in the other direction.

7. A pneumatic despatch tube cartridge comprismg two telescopic members, the outer one of which is provided with aswinging uide member which is adapted to project Iaterally therefrom and to be swung inwardly towards the side of the same, a rib swinging with said guide member extending through an opening in the outer member and designed for locking engagement with the inner member, and a tooth or projection on said rib adapted to yieldingly engage a notch in the outer member, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of August A. D. 1907.

FRANKLIN H. WOLEVER.

Witnesses:

A. M. BUNN, .I: G. R. WILKINS. v i 

